Democratic shake-up on horizon for two big Senate committees

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Today's Top Stories - August 13, 2026

Today's Top Stories - August 13, 2026

Two high-profile Senate committees, Judiciary and Foreign Relations, are headed for a leadership shake-up next year that will likely create even more pushback on President Trump’s foreign policy and law enforcement agenda.  

Multiple sources told The Hill that Sen. Chris Coons (Del.) will likely step into the Foreign Relations top spot after Sen. Jeanne Shaheen’s (D-N.H.) retirement because he is the next-most-senior Democratic member.

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (R.I.) is up to bat for Judiciary Democrats, which will see the exit of retiring Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.). Whitehouse confirmed to The Hill that he “is planning on” taking the job. 

The process of formally selecting chairs and ranking members for Senate committees will begin after the November elections, when the parties will know who owns the Senate majority. Democrats would need to gain four seats in the midterms to secure the majority.

Both panels have key responsibilities, and if Democrats do win the majority, would have major oversight roles.

Foreign Relations and Coons

The Foreign Relations Committee processes nominees for diplomatic posts or jobs at the State Department, works on legislation and conducts hearings about U.S. programs and spending abroad. 

Coons, a close ally of former President Biden’s, has a long history of working with members of both parties.

Sources say he’d likely lead Foreign Relations similarly to Shaheen, who has generally been regarded as pragmatic. Coons already has deep relationships across the aisle and across continents, giving him a leg up on shadow diplomacy – including the reassurance of allies threatened by the Trump administration.

Former Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), a friend of Coons who served as ambassador to Turkey during the Biden administration, told The Hill that Coons has always been well-regarded by Republicans and foreign officials because they see him as reasonable and willing to work together.

He said that’s key on Senate Foreign Relations, since senators with six-year terms outlast presidential administrations and thus have an important role in........

© The Hill